This is one of my laziest blogs but I decided to let the writings of others highlight my point.

Qualifications for Christian leaders according to the Bible:

1 Timothy 3:1-13

Qualifications for Overseers and Deacons

1 Here is a trustworthy saying: Whoever aspires to be an overseer desires a noble task. 2 Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3 not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4 He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of fullrespect. 5 (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?) 6 He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7 He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil’s trap.

8 In the same way, deaconsare to be worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9 They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience.10 They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.

11 In the same way, the womenare to be worthy of respect, not malicious talkers but temperate and trustworthy in everything.

12 A deacon must be faithful to his wife and must manage his children and his household well. 13 Those who have served well gain an excellent standing and great assurance in their faith in Christ Jesus.

Titus 1:5-9

Appointing Elders Who Love What Is Good

5 The reason I left you in Crete was that you might put in order what was left unfinished and appointelders in every town, as I directed you. 6 An elder must be blameless, faithful to his wife, a man whose children believeand are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient. 7 Since an overseer manages God’s household, he must be blameless—not overbearing, not quick-tempered, not given to drunkenness, not violent, not pursuing dishonest gain. 8 Rather, he must be hospitable, one who loves what is good, who is self-controlled, upright, holy and disciplined. 9 He must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it.

Qualifications for Christian leaders according to certain select seminaries:

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The degree of Master of Divinity (M.Div.) certifies completion of a program of theological studies designed primarily, although not exclusively, to prepare the candidate for ordination to the Christian ministry. The requirements reflect the intention of the School to provide an education that is theologically informed, professionally competent, academically rigorous, and oriented to the life of the church.

Minimum requirements for graduation include the following distribution of courses in the curriculum:

Area I: Twelve credit hours distributed between Old Testament and New Testament. Elementary Hebrew and Greek do not meet this requirement, but are counted toward the total number of hours needed for graduation.

Area II: Twelve credit hours including at least one course in Theological Studies and one in Christian Ethics. Only three hours toward the Area II requirement may be counted for work listed under Denominational Courses.

Area III: Nine credit hours in Historical Studies, including at least one of the following introductory courses: 700a, 700b, or 701a. Only three hours of Denominational History courses may be counted toward the Area III requirement.

Area IV: Twelve credit hours, including three hours in preaching or communication.

Area V: Nine credit hours. (The three credit hours of Ethical Studies may be taken in this area rather than Area II.)

Supervised Ministries: Three credit hours.

Additional Requirements

Every M.Div. student is required to take one course (three term hours) in a non-Christian religion or one course in the relationship between Christianity and other religions.

All M.Div. students are additionally required to complete a sixteen-hour seminar on preventing ministerial misconduct.

No course may be counted toward meeting the requirements simultaneously in more than one area or toward meeting more than one of the distributional requirements with­in a single area.

For students with special and clear vocational plans, the Professional Studies Committee may approve a course of study that differs from the indicated area minimum requirements.

The M.Div. prepares students for the broadest range of Christian ministries, especially in local churches. Students receive training in classical theological disciplines such as Old Testament, New Testament, church history and historical theology, systematic theology, ethics, and philosophy, as well as applied disciplines such as pastoral ministry, preaching, evangelism, and missions. In addition, students may use elective hours to pursue concentrations in any school at Southwestern in accordance with their ministry goals and academic interests. The M.Div. is the only approved first master’s degree for a student preparing for a pastoral or preaching ministry, as well as any other ministry largely comprised of biblical teaching.

Course Title

Course Number

Hours

Biblical Studies

Biblical Hermeneutics

BIBST 3203

3

Basic Old Testament I

OLDTS 3313

3

Basic Old Testament II

OLDTS 3323

3

Basic New Testament I

NEWTS 3313

3

Basic New Testament II

NEWTS 3323

3

Elementary Greek I (prerequisite)1

GREEK 3313

(3)

Elementary Greek II (prerequisite)1

GREEK 3323

(3)

New Testament Greek I

GREEK 4313

3

New Testament Greek II

GREEK 4323

3

Elementary Hebrew I

HEBRW 4313

3

Elementary Hebrew II

HEBRW 4323

3

Hebrew Exegetical Method

HEBRW 5003

3

Theological Studies

History of Christianity I

CHAHT 3103

3

History of Christianity II

CHAHT 3113

3

Baptist Heritage

BPTST 3203

3

Systematic Theology I

SYSTH 3003

3

Systematic Theology II

SYSTH 3013

3

Ethics and Philosophical Studies

The Christian Home

ETHIC 4303

3

Basic Christian Ethics or

ETHIC 4313 or

3

The Bible & Moral Issues or

ETHIC 4323 or

Development of Christian Character and Decision Making

ETHIC 4333

Philosophy of Religion or

PHILO 4313 or

3

Christian Apologetics

PHILO 4373

Evangelism and Missions Studies

Contemporary Evangelism

EVANG 3303

3

Personal Evangelism Practicum2

EVANG 3000

0

Introduction to Missiology

MISSN 3363

3

Missions Practicum2

MISSN 3100

0

Preaching and Pastoral Studies

Foundations for Christian Ministry I or

PASMN 3313 or

3

Women’s Ministries in the Local Church3

WOMST 4003

Christian Ministry Practicum2

PASMN 3000

0

Introduction to Expository Preaching or

PRCHG 3313 or

3

Expository Communication of Biblical Truth4

WOMST 4043

Advanced Expository Preaching5

PRCHG 3323

3

Preaching Practicum2

PRCHG 3000

0

Additional Requirements

Spiritual Formation I

SPFTH 3101

1

Spiritual Formation II

SPFTH 3111

1

Applied Ministry – Disciple-making in the Local Church

APLMN 4011

1

Applied Ministry – Mentoring

APLMN 4021

1

The Ministry of Education

EDMIN 3003

3

Concentration and Free Electives5,6,7

The Master of Divinity degree is a comprehensive graduate theological program covering a wide range of general and specialized subjects, designed to prepare students for full-time service in the church of Jesus Christ.

The curriculum is controlled by a vision of Christ’s Church as the people of God—a living, worshiping, witnessing community, within which faith is nurtured and through which Christ is served in the world. The curriculum is designed to instruct students in the study of theology in its widest sense, so that they may grow in the knowledge of God, discover and develop their God-given gifts and become more effective members of the body of Christ. This involves a deepening understanding of God and God’s world through rigorous academic discipline; but it also involves, in part as the fruit of such discipline, personal spiritual growth and maturity, (I call total B.S. on this point) and the acquiring of the relevant skills that will enable students to use their theological insights effectively in practical Christian ministry.